Problem: COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented amount of turmoil in the world. Unemployment is at an all time high and the deaths keep rising. It can be difficult not to be overwhelmed by all the negativity.
Insight: People are overwhelmed with bad news right now.
Goal: Give people hope and inspiration during a time of uncertainty
Idea: A children’s style virtual storybook that tells real stories, during a time of crisis that show there is still good in the world. At the end of each story there will be resources and tips on how you can spread goodness.
About Us
It’s easy to just give up. To turn on the news and start endlessly scrolling through social media.
It’s so easy to turn on the news or scroll on your phone through pages and pages of depressing happenings and tragic occurrences.
Unexpected Goodness is a project focused on highlighting kind deeds and feel-good moments in the darkness and negativity of a country coping with COVID-19, social unrest, and political turmoil.
What our team hopes to accomplish is telling the stories of good samaritans and heroes that go above and beyond to spread kindness and hope in spite of all the danger and odds stacked against all of us. So stay awhile and listen, and when you’re ready to go back out, help spread some Unexpected Goodness.
Personas
Meet Joey Chung
- 28 years old
- Second-generation Korean immigrant
- First in his family to attend college in the USA
- Currently works as a delivery driver, was formerly employed as a waiter at an upscale restaurant.
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Needs
- A means to tell his story and express himself
- Increase visibility of the Asian-American/Korean-American community and their struggles during the pandemic.
- A better job
- The pandemic to be over
How We Can Help
- Offer a means for Joey to tell his story
- Help increase exposure for the stories and thoughts of people impacted by COVID and the effects the pandemic has had on Joey’s life and relationships.
Meet Suzi Q
- 33 years old, married and has a 7-year old child.
- White, family has been here since the Great Depression (Italian immigrants)
- Owner of a small bakery that’s shifted to takeout/delivery.
- Self-employed, also has two of her nine employees left after COVID cuts.
- Location: Trenton, New Jersey
Needs
- A means to tell her story and the stories of her workers
- Better small business support than the existing PPP and SBA 7 loan programs.
- The pandemic to be over
How We Can Help
- Offer a means for Suzi to tell her stories.
- Help increase exposure for the stories and thoughts of people impacted by COVID and the effects the pandemic has had on Suzi’s life and relationships.
Inspirations
Our inspirations include the Humans of New York social media project, feel good stories such as that of "Lasagna Lady" (a woman who spent her stimulus check on feeding her community with free lasagna), and day to day accounts and stories such as ABC News' COVID Diaries.
Style Guide
Outro
Right now, people are doing their best to survive despite the pandemic and unrest, anxiety of the future and uncertainty of the present.
Yet despite all of these factors, there are the ones who’ve gone beyond what’s expected of them. They’ve helped spread cheer, goodwill, and smiles in a time where we all desperately need more positivity.
Here, we tell their stories and recognize the contributions they’ve made to making our home a better place.
Welcome to Unexpected Goodness.